I don't envy men and I certainly wouldn't like to become one now.

The young women in my classes are feisty and clever and believe, often with the passion of youthful optimism, that feminism is a battle already won. I worry for them - and for my daughters, too.

I'm working on a nonfiction book on Nepal and a novel about diasporas.

The richest most meaningful stories are found in small places: made, carried, crafted, told, and retold by apparently unimportant people.

Sometimes I like to play the soundtracks to famous musicals so we can all sing along. South Pacific is one of my favorites. Our neighbors must hate us.

If you can't return a favor, pass it on.

Never give up. And most importantly, be true to yourself. Write from your heart, in your own voice, and about what you believe in.

I can't pick out one single book that had such a profound personal impact.

It took a brave editor in the U.S. to sign a contract for Dancing Girls, and without her belief in the book, I'm not sure it would ever have found its way into print.

Don't call 'em dogs. Dogs are loyal and they run after balls.

I could write an entertaining novel about rejection slips, but I fear it would be overly long.

In the middle of all the ordinary--something extraordinary shows up.

My dad is so unique in what he does. It's not like I'm taking a torch from him and doing his thing. I hope I've carried from him a little bit of a sense of irony, a little bit of a wink.

Elend: I kind of lost track of time… Breeze: For two hours? Elend: There were books involved.

In India, there are lots of places that I love, but my favourite is Kashmir.

As an actor myself, the opportunity to sing and dance and be dramatic and be funny - it's really irresistible to actors. You get to show all sides of your talent.

I am tired of always dying with a broken heart.

It would make life much easier if I could have total faith and not question everything all the time, but I can't do it and I won't do it.

The orthodox faith painted God as a revengeful being, and yet people talk about loving such a being.

The faster I write the better my output. If I'm going slow, I'm in trouble. It means I'm pushing the words instead of being pulled by them.

It's very easy for me to just encourage people in their family life and in their children. It's just very natural to me. It's what I feel comfortable doing, and so I enjoy it.